A Nez Perce Legend
Once, a young boy who was accustomed to hunting was captured by Bear (Xa’ xats). She took him to her den and kept him there for a long time. One day, Bear said to him, “You are going home to your mother and father. You will visit them briefly and then return.” She prepared a lunch for him, using camas roots since it was the root-digging season. Bear emphasized, “You must make a singing approach when you return home.”
His parents had, of course, come to believe that their son was dead. Bear gave the boy a song to sing, and as he neared his home, he began to chant, “Sa’ ya, the widow, led me astray; sa’ ya, the mouth, led me astray.” Hearing this song, his parents rejoiced, realizing their son was alive and had come back to them.
The young man stayed with his parents for a few days. Then, he told them, “I came only to visit you, and now I must return.” During his visit, the villagers were catching many salmon, and they gave him a large supply to take back with him.
Upon arriving at Bear’s den, he found her absent, as she had gone out digging roots. Deciding to provide food for her, he broiled a salmon. When Bear returned, she exclaimed, “Oh, salmon! That is wonderful!”
The young man said, “I have already broiled some for you.” Bear replied, “Oh, it is too overcooked! I can’t eat it like that.” The young man responded, “Then I will eat it myself, and you can cook it any way you like.”
Bear agreed, and she took a salmon, sprinkling it with dust for seasoning. “This is how it should be done. Oh, such good salmon,” she expressed happily. The young man then said, “The people told me we should come because they are catching so many salmon.”
“But there are so many people there. It would be so embarrassing,” Bear protested.
“Regardless, they are inviting us. We could go just for a short time,” the young man insisted.
“Very well, we will go,” Bear consented.
They prepared for their visit, and Bear went out to dig camas roots to take with them. Finally, they were ready and made their way to the village. When they arrived, they found many people encamped, enjoying various social activities. Bear’s husband joined in the festivities, dancing and participating in all the fun.
One day, Bear said to her husband, “Let us go home now.”
“Not just yet. Let us stay a little longer,” he replied, unwilling to leave. Bear persisted, but her husband continually put her off. Eventually, Bear grew angry; she sensed that certain maidens were enjoying the affection of her husband. Fueled by this jealousy, she decided, “I will kill them.”
Bear left the camp and went into the brush, where chokeberries and serviceberries were ripening. She noticed a group of maidens walking away from camp and circled around, lying down in the bushes to listen. One maiden exclaimed, “Bear’s husband was giving me such special attention at the dance.” Hearing this, Bear was overcome with hatred. “This is why he always tells me, ‘We will go later,’” she mumbled in rage.
As the maidens approached, Bear jumped up and attacked them. She killed one maiden and rushed at another, biting her to death as well. In total, she killed all five maidens. Afterward, she dug a pit and buried them, becoming covered in their blood. Although she washed herself thoroughly, the strong scent of blood remained.
Returning home, Bear lay down as if she were ill. Her husband entered and noticed her condition. “What is the matter?” he asked, detecting the smell of blood.
“My head aches, and I was bleeding from the nose. I feel very ill. I believe we should go home,” Bear replied.
Meanwhile, the villagers noticed the absence of the maidens and quickly suspected Bear. They searched for the missing girls and discovered their grave. “There is no doubt. Bear has killed them,” they concluded.
Coyote rendered judgment: “Bear has killed these five sisters. As a newcomer, she cannot do such a thing; thus, she must be killed as well.” The people approached Bear’s husband with a proposal. “The salmon are not running, and we have not caught a single one recently. We believe that your wife, Bear, being a powerful shaman, can cause the salmon to run again through a sweat bath.”
Her husband relayed this proposal to Bear. “So embarrassing!” she exclaimed.
“Yes, but they have faith in you and nobody else. If you can make the salmon run, we will receive a large supply of dried fish to take home,” he urged.
“Still, so embarrassing!” Bear reiterated.
“Then you can go into the sweathouse fully clothed,” suggested her husband.
“Fine, I will do it for them,” Bear finally agreed.
The villagers heated stones and prepared the sweat lodge. Bear entered, fully clothed, and the red-hot stones were piled inside. The villagers made a hole in the roof over the stones, gathered around, and began pouring water through the opening, creating intense heat inside.
Bear thought to herself, “Now they will kill me!” She began to writhe in agony, struggling against the suffocating heat. The villagers continued pouring water and sat on the sweathouse to hold her inside.
Her struggles eventually ceased, and she succumbed to suffocation. Once dragged out of the sweathouse, she was dead. And so, the people continued to live there, forever changed by the tale of Bear and her tragic end.
